UFC Fight Night 33’s Biggest Winners: What’s Next?

Alex Garcia (11-1 / Defeated Ben Wall via Knockout)

Garcia came into the UFC with a lot of hype from those who’d seen the 26-year old compete in Canada and lived up to the praise with a sub-minute knockout of the previously unbeaten Wall. With finishes in all but one of his wins and an equal number of TKOs/submissions, it seems Garcia has the potential to be a part of the UFC for years to come. He’s clearly not ready for a ranked opponent, but an adversary along the lines of Stephen Thompson or Sean Spencer would be perfectly suited for his next pairing. (PHOTO CREDIT: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports)

Justin Scoggins (8-0 / Defeated Richie Vaculik via TKO)

The UFC’s flyweight division needed an injection of fresh talent and got it in the form of Scoggins. At 21, he’s got a lot of time to grow, but the South Carolina native has already shown the makings of a future star between his knockout power and the personality he showed after the victory. Realistic options for his next fight include Josh Sampo and the winner of this coming weekend’s UFC on FOX 9 fight between Darren Uyenoyama-Alp Ozkilic. (PHOTO CREDIT: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Takeya Mizugaki (19-7-2 / Defeated Nam Phan via Unanimous Decision)

Mizugaki has always served as a litmus test of sorts in terms of how talented an athlete is. He’s got slick stand-up and is solid on the ground as well, though he's nowhere near explosive enough to finish foes with consistency. However, he’s won his last four fights, so Mizugaki definitely deserves a chance to clash with a Top 10 adversary like Raphael Assuncao. The winner of January’s Mike Easton-T.J. Dillashaw match-up would also work in such a capacity. (PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports)

Soa Palelei (20-3 / Defeated Pat Barry via Knockout)

Knocking out Barry doesn’t mean nearly as much now as it did a few years ago but it’s hard to deny Palelei’s talent at this point. His last loss came three years ago (to Daniel Cormier no less) and he’s scored strike-based stoppages in his ten tilts since the stumble. He’s not a title-contender at this point, but it’s time to see how he fares against an opponent who is a well-rounded threat and has the clout to boost his stock. Right away Roy Nelson comes to mind, as he’s widely respected and unlikely to get KO’d. Brendan Schaub is also worth considering as a heavy-handed striker with an improving ground game who is coming off back-to-back wins rather than losses like “Big Country”. (PHOTO CREDIT: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

Ryan Bader (16-4 / Defeated Anthony Perosh via Unanimous Decision)

On some levels, Bader’s performance against Perosh was impressive. On others, it left a lot to be desired. After all, it was fairly clear Perosh was in trouble from early on in the effort, yet Bader was content to take him down and try to pound him out instead of puting him away while standing. The strategy was smart but didn’t do much to dissuade his critics. Two interesting possibilities for Bader’s next appearance in the Octagon are Rafael Cavalcante and Phil Davis. The former has the power and BJJ ability to test Bader in all phases of a fight, while the latter’s wrestling prowess would give Bader an opportunity to show he’s the superior grappler. Better yet, both are currently available for action and also happen to have some name value to assist in marketing the match-up. (PHOTO CREDIT: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports)

Mauricio Rua (22-8 / Defeated James Te Huna via Knockout)

Taking out Te Huna isn’t exactly headline material, but there’s no question “Shogun” looked sharp in the showdown. He was aggressive and appeared to be in tremendous shape. Since Rua has said he wants to stay at 205 pounds for now, there’s no need to consider middleweight options for the PRIDE icon. Rather, an adversary along the lines of Ryan Bader and Phil Davis is more likely to surface as his next opponent. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira could also come into play if Rua is willing to wait until “Minotoro” heals up. However, a more intriguing candidate is Dan Henderson. He and Rua turned in an absolute classic two years ago that either could have ended up winning. Henderson got the nod that time. Why not give “Shogun” a shot at redemption (assuming the UFC re-signs Henderson)? (PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Antonio Silva/Mark Hunt (Majority Draw)

As indicated by the result, the only winner in Silva-Hunt involved individual fans turning in to watch the two heavyweights deliver a duel of epic proportions. Neither man escaped the five-round rumble unscathed and both appeared to be on the brink of being finished at certain points in the tilt. Still, never was willing to give up unless forced to physically. Without an iota of doubt, the next fight for each should involve a rematch. Making things even more exciting, a Brazilian backdrop would be ideal since Hunt had his shot at home. (PHOTO CREDIT: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Every win in the Octagon is important. Of course, some are more notable than others. In the case of UFC Fight Night 33, a few up-and-coming youngsters exited the event with impressive debuts in tow, while seasoned veterans like Mauricio Rua and Ryan Bader dominated their respective rumbles. Here’s a look at what might be next for the evening’s biggest victors, as well as thoughts on what’s down the road for Antonio Silva-Mark Hunt after their jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-couch clash in the main event.